UEFA honours
UEFA European Championship: winner 2008, 2012
UEFA European Under-19 Championship: winner 2004

• Came up through the junior ranks at Valencia − making his senior debut against AIK Solna during their triumphant UEFA Cup campaign in 2003/04 − but given his Liga bow by Getafe CF, where he spent the following season on loan.

• Ever-present in Valencia's 2006/07 UEFA Champions League campaign, starting all ten matches as they reached quarter-finals; scored a spectacular long-range effort in a 4-2 win at Olympiacos FC, his first in Europe.

• Won the Spanish Cup, as well as his first senior international caps, in 2007/08; left Valencia in summer 2009 for Madrid after 131 Liga appearances for the Mestalla club.

• Initially a first-team regular at Madrid, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3-1 win at Olympique de Marseille on matchday six of the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League.

• Having played twice at UEFA EURO 2008, in 2-1 group stage wins against Sweden and Greece, he was an unused member of the Spain squads which won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and UEFA EURO 2012.